Evanston, IL: SPED costs "skyrocketed"; transportation costs $7.3M 2023-24
- The end of childhood
- 6 days ago
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Jan 27, 2026, Evanston Now: Audit: D65 special ed costs have skyrocketed
The cost of taking special education students to school in District 65 jumped more than 400% over the most recent four-year period where data is available.
Results of a special education audit were presented to the Board of Education on Monday night, examining a variety of legal and financial issues.
One thing that stood out the most was the increase in transportation expenses for special ed, from about $1.8 million in FY20-21 to $7.3 million in FY23-24.
Special ed audit finidings on transportation costs. Credit: District 65
Special Education Director Gini Sulek told the board that a large bump in required insurance coverage is to blame for much of the increase.
She also said that District 65 sends a number of students to other districts for specialized services that cannot be provided in-house, and transporting those children is expensive.
One way to reduce transportation costs is, of course, to transport fewer kids to out-of-district placement, and Sulek said that this year, it is 67 students versus in the low 80s in recent years. Fewer placements also reduces out-of-district tuition.
It’s a balancing act.
Not sending kids to another district can save on busing and tuition, but it may also require hiring additional staff for D65. So, fewer dollars out the door on the bus has to be weighed against the salaries of new people coming in. . . .
Reducing special education expenses is more difficult than it may seem. You can’t just slice and dice the budget, because special education services for children who qualify are required by law.
In fact, the federal government requires every dollar of special ed cuts to be justified, or the feds may hold back money they normally provide. (Yes, that’s right. If you can’t explain why you are cutting money, they’ll cut your money).
Superintendent Angel Turner said “special ed gets placed and staffed first” in the budget process, then everything else comes after that.
The audit, according to D65, concluded that District 65’s special education program is “legally compliant and strongly inclusion-focused,” however “rising costs, uneven systems, and stagnant student outcomes require strategic refinement to ensure long-term sustainability and improved results.” . . .
About 17% of District 65’s students qualify for special education services via IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), close to the 16% average statewide.
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